Heavy-duty coat hanger with interior image

ABSTRACT

A hanger for clothing is reinforced by an insert existing substantially or entirely inside the center space of the hanger defined by the outer, typically generally triangular, hanger frame. The insert is fixed, secured, or otherwise semi-permanently or permanently connected to the hanger frame at 3 or more places. The preferred places are 3 places, of which two are on the larger lower part of the frame, or one each on the two smaller, upper parts of the frame. Also, the reinforcing insert comprises an image, so the insert serves both a strengthening function and an aesthetic function.

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 62/086,009, filed Dec. 1, 2014, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated herein by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

1. Field of the Disclosed Technology

This invention relates generally to clothes hangers, and morespecifically to strong, heavy-duty coat hangers for hanging heavy coatsand jackets, for example. Preferred versions have a reinforcement insertthat connects at multiple places to the outer, perimeter frame of thehanger, preferably at inner surface locations of the outer frame.Preferred inserts are entirely, or optionally comprise, an interior(within the frame of the hanger) image of an object, person or personhead, vehicle, plant or plant flower, animal or animal head, building,company or team or school logo, landscape, craftsman's or workmen's orlabor union's symbol, or other natural or man-made object, for example.

2. Related Art

Some exemplary relevant documents include:

U.S. Design Pat. No. D290,190 (Stolarz) discloses an ornamental designfor a luggage hanger with a rotatable hook and a clip on each end of thehanger.

U.S. Design Pat. No. D323,070 (Anderson et al.) discloses an ornamentaldesign for a garment hanger with a panel in its center.

U.S. Design Pat. No. D504,577 (Mann) discloses an ornamental design fora heavy-duty hanger with a straight, vertical, internal part on each endof the hanger.

U.S. Design Pat. No. D591,058 (Patel '058) discloses an ornamentaldesign for a clothes hanger with a circular, internal part on each endof the hanger.

U.S. Design Pat. No. D591,059 (Patel '059) discloses an ornamentaldesign for a clothes hanger with an arched, internal part extending fromone end of the hanger to the other end.

U.S. Design Pat. No. D591,060 (Patel '060) discloses an ornamentaldesign for a clothes hanger with a combination, angled and straight,vertical, internal part on each end of the hanger.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,444,029 (Ferraro et al.) discloses a reinforced hangerwith parallel upper and lower crossbars, the upper crossbar having bothupper and lower reinforcement sections, each reinforcement sectionhaving a rib.

SUMMARY

The disclosed device is a hanger for clothing or other objects, whereinthe hanger is reinforced by an insert existing substantially or entirelyinside the center/interior space of the hanger defined by the innersurface of the outer, typically generally open, triangular hanger frame.The insert is preferably fixed, secured, or otherwise at leastsemi-permanently connected in a strengthening and supporting manner tothe hanger frame at one or more locations, but preferably at least threelocations, and in some embodiments at only three locations. Preferredinserts are entirely, or optionally comprise, an image of an object,person or person head, vehicle, plant or plant flower, animal or animalhead, building, company or team or school logo, landscape, craftsman'sor workmen's or labor union's symbol, or other natural or man-madeobject, for example.

The insert is preferably generally centered within the hanger frame, sothat most or all of the insert is visible when the hanger is in useincluding with a jacket or coat or other garment, for example, installedon the hanger. The connection points of the insert to the hanger framemay be, and preferably are substantially or entirely in someembodiments, connections of perimeter parts of said natural or man-madeobject image, for example, the tire perimeters of a motorcycle, the toesand/or hands/fingers of a person, a boot or shoe toe or heel of a bootor shoe for a person, horns of a cow's head, or other parts or pieces ofthe object image. Connection points include at least one, and preferablytwo or more separate connections, at the top side of the frame.Preferably top connections points are on both sides of the central hook,on one of two of the smaller top sides of the frame (see connectionspoints D and E of hanger 10′ in FIG. 4, for example). Connections pointspreferably also include at least one and preferably two or moreconnection points on the larger, bottom side of the frame, preferably onboth sides (to the left and the right) of the middle line ML generallyextending through the hook (see connections points H and I of the hanger10″ in FIG. 8, for example). The connection points may be small in size,meaning they are not wide bars or plates, but rather small pieces orparts of the natural or man-made image object, or the hanger frame, orglue, weld, or tacking material between the frame and the image object,for example, as in hangers 10, 10′, 10″, 100, 200, and 300. Or, one ormore of the connections may be a wider connection, such as for the steerskull lower connection P (horizontally-extending connection area shownin dashed lines) that may be provided in addition to smaller, narrowerconnections points J, K, L, M, N and O in FIG. 13, for example. Thus,one may see that this type of reinforcement differs substantially from ahanger with crossbars, struts, or simple straight, angled or curvedreinforcement members such as are disclosed in the prior art.

The insert is preferably within the middle ½ (50%) of the width of thehanger, as shown in the drawings and explained by FIG. 8, and optionallywithin the middle 51-70%, or less preferably, within the entire width ofthe hanger.

The reinforcement image insert is preferably substantiallytwo-dimensional, and is substantially wider and taller than it is thick.The thickness may be on the order of a millimeter up to about 2centimeters, for example, while the width and height will be severalinches, for example, 2-6 inches, for example, for a conventional,triangle-shaped hanger. See the perspective views of the hangers in thedrawings FIGS. 1, 4, 9, 14, and 21, and the cross-sectional view of FIG.7. The insert is preferably metal, and preferably all or most of thehanger is also made of metal. Alternatively, the hanger may be made ofother materials, for example, plastic or wood. The hanger perimeterframe may be solid, as in the case of a metal or plastic or wood rod.Or, the hanger perimeter frame may be hollow, as in the case of a metalor plastic or wood tube. The insert may be made by various means andconnected to the frame by various means, which may include hydro-cuttingof metal plate and welding of the insert to a metal hanger frame, forexample. Alternatively, other fabrication means may be used, includingmethods where the insert is made separately and then installedpermanently or semi-permanently in the frame, and methods wherein theinsert is molded, for example, integrally with the hanger frame.

Alternatively, the reinforcement insert may be a flat panel securedwithin or to the hanger frame. This flat panel, which may besolid/continuous or apertures, and may be transparent, translucent, oropaque, and which may be the same material as or a different materialthan, the frame, acts as a structural support, and may also acceptstickers, decals, printing or painting, words and lettering, and/orother indicia to provide an image at least partly within the boundariesof the perimeter of the hanger frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective, side view of one hanger embodiment 10 of thedisclosure, including an interior reinforcement motorcycle image withinthe perimeter of the hanger frame, wherein the connection points betweenthe image and the frame are near the motorcycle headlight, and atportions of the front and back tires.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the hanger of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the hanger of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective, side view of an alternative hanger embodiment10′, showing the form of a female person in western cowgirl boots andcowgirl hat as an interior reinforcement image. The connection pointswithin the perimeter of the hanger frame are the top of the woman's hatand the toe of one of her boots at the top side of the frame, and thesole of the other boot at the bottom side of the frame.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the hanger of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of the hanger of FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the hanger of FIGS. 4-6, viewedalong the line FIG. 7-FIG. 7 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of an alternative embodiment hanger 10″with the width divided into an approximate left (L) ¼, an approximateright (R) ¼, and an approximate middle half (M½). The middle line ML isalso shown, as is an example reinforcement image insert 22″ (forexample, a flame, plant, leaf or flower) that is entirely containedwithin the middle half (M½).

FIGS. 9 and 10 are perspective, side, and front views, respectively, ofanother alternative embodiment hanger 100, with an example of addedhanger elements, for example, a lower, depending rung and set of hooksfor pants, belts, ties, etc. Thus, one may understand that the hangermay comprise a frame, hook, reinforcement insert, and optional otherstructure such as additional rungs and hooks, for example.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing how another alternative embodiment 200is formed so that at least a portion, and preferably about 50 up to 100percent, of the reinforcement image insert is visible when the hanger isin use with a coat or jacket (assuming the garment is not zipped orbuttoned all the way to the top).

FIG. 12 is a front view of the hanger of FIG. 11, but without thegarment.

FIG. 13 is a front view of another alternative embodiment hanger 300,which illustrates how additional image inserts may be located at theright and/or left of a central reinforcement image insert. Here, a largesteer skull is in the central position, and two smaller steer skulls arenearer the right and left ends of the hanger. It is not necessary thatthe additional image inserts be reinforcing.

FIG. 14 is a perspective, side view of another alternative embodimenthanger 400, which illustrates a flat panel reinforcement insertincluding an image, the flat panel being secured within the interiorspace of the hanger frame.

FIG. 15 is a front view of the hanger 400 of FIG. 14.

FIGS. 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 are, respectively, top, bottom, left side,right side, and back views of the hanger 400 of FIGS. 14 and 15.

FIG. 21 is a perspective exploded view of the hanger 400 of FIGS. 14-20.

FIG. 22 is a front view of another alternative embodiment hanger 500with a different image in or on a central reinforcement panel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the Figures, there are shown several embodiments, but notthe only embodiments, of the subject hanger with interior reinforcementimage insert(s).

FIG. 1 depicts one embodiment 10 of the subject heavy-duty coat hangerwith interior reinforcement image. Hanger 10 has a generally open,triangle-shaped perimeter frame 12 with two smaller top rod parts 14 and14′ (the sides of the triangle), two end rod parts 16 and 16′, and onelarger bottom rod part 18 (roughly the hypotenuse of the triangle).Hanger 10 has a top rod hook 20 extending upwardly from parts 14 and/or14′.

Within the open, interior space 13 of frame 12, surrounded and definedby the inner surface 15 of the frame 12, is interior reinforcement image22, in this case the silhouette of a motorcycle with apertures oropenings cut or otherwise formed through its body and wheels. Motorcycleimage 22 is secured to the inner perimeter/surface of frame 12 at threepoints—point A in top smaller rod part 14, and points B and C in bottomlarger rod part 18. One effect of this type of securement of image 22 isto strengthen and further support frame 12. Another effect is to providean interesting image 22 at least within the inner perimeter/surface offrame 12—that is, an interior image. These elements of FIG. 1 are alsoshown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are like FIGS. 1-3, except interior reinforcement image22′ of alternative embodiment hanger 10′, in this case, is thesilhouette of a woman with a cowgirl hat and cowgirl boots receivedinside the interior space 13′ surrounded and defined by the innersurface 15 of the frame. Also, in this case three securement points areD in top smaller rod part 14, E in top smaller rod part 14′ and F inbottom larger rod part 18. These elements of FIG. 4 are also shown inFIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view along line FIG. 7-FIG. 7 in FIG. 6.FIG. 7 shows that interior reinforcement image 22′ is in the form of arelatively thin plate, compared to the thicker, solid round perimeterframe smaller rod parts 14 and larger rod part 18 of perimeter frame 12.One may see the thinness of the insert and the cut-out portions thathelp form the image, which allows it to be called in many embodiments an“insert plate” with “cut-out features” or “perimeters and aperturesforming/defining at least a part of the image”. Preferably, the entireinsert thickness is contained within (not extending beyond) the frontand back outermost extremities of the frame 12. For example, if thehanger is set on a table, the frame 12 but preferably not the insertimage 22′, will touch the table.

FIG. 8 depicts another alternative embodiment hanger 10″ with interiorreinforcement image 22″. Also depicted in FIG. 8 are approximate left(L) ¼, approximate right (R) ¼, approximate middle half (M½) and middleline (ML) of hanger 10″. From this FIG. 8, it may be seen that interiorreinforcement image 22″, attached to frame 12″ at connections points G,H, and I, extends substantially across the middle half (M½) of hanger10″.

FIG. 9 depicts in a perspective view another alternative embodimenthanger 100. Hanger 100 has all the elements of hanger 10 depicted inFIGS. 1-3, plus downwardly depending, outwardly facing hooks 124 and124′ secured to the ends of first lower frame perimeter rod part 118,and second lower part 126 secured at each of its ends to the bottoms ofboth hooks 124 and 124′. This way, additional functionality is easilyprovided, relative to hanger 10, 10′ and 10″, namely, two hooks and anadditional lower rung for receiving and supporting additional garments,for example.

The hanger of FIG. 10 has all the same elements as in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 depicts another alternative embodiment hanger 200 with interiorreinforcement image 222 supporting garment 228. From FIG. 11 it may beseen that reinforcement image 222 may be visible, even when hanger 200is supporting garment 228.

FIG. 12 depicts hanger embodiment 200 as in FIG. 11, but without garment228.

FIG. 13 depicts alternative embodiment hanger 300 with central interiorreinforcement image 322, and additional interior images 330 and 330′ tothe left and right, respectively, of central reinforcement image 322.Central reinforcement image 322 is secured to the innerperimeter/surface of frame 312 at connections points J, K, and P,wherein connection P, for example, may be glue, welding, tacking orother fastener material or fastener(s) between the back of the image 322and the front of the hanger frame, at one more locations or continuouslyalong the dashed line area depicted as P. Interior image 330 is securedto frame 312 at connections points M and O. Interior image 330′ issecured to frame 312 at connections points L and N. From FIG. 13 it maybe seen that more than one interior image may be provided for onehanger. Also, it may be seen that a reinforcement image may extendbeyond the outer boundary of the perimeter frame 312, in this case. Notethat the central insert is connected in two places at the horns, and atone lower location near the jaw. Note that the smaller steer skulls areconnected only at two places, that is, one horn at the top side of theframe and the nose at the bottom side of the frame. Also note that theperimeter of the insert may extend beyond the boundary of the perimeterof the hanger frame, preferably below the lower boundary of theperimeter of the hanger frame so as to not interfere with the clothingshoulders or neck on the hanger.

FIG. 14 depicts alternative embodiment hanger 400 with interior image422 on interior reinforcement panel 432. Panel 432 is secured to theinner perimeter/surface of the frame 412 of hanger 400 at three pointsQ, R and S. Optionally, frame 412 of hanger 400 has additional,conventional straight, vertical reinforcement struts 434 and 434′.

FIGS. 15-20 are, respectively, front, top, bottom, left side, right sideand back views of hanger 400.

FIG. 21 is a perspective, side exploded view of hanger 400. Thepreferred panel 432 extends through the interior space portion 413bounded by the inner perimeter/surface 415 of left and right upper partsand of the bottom part of the perimeter frame, and extendinghorizontally right and left to the struts 434, 434′. It may beunderstood that the struts 434, 434′ create compartmentalization of theinterior space of the perimeter frame into end portions 417 in additionto the interior space portion 413, so that the preferred panel 432 mayextend horizontally to at or near the struts 434, 434′ but typically nothorizontally past said struts in certain embodiments. This may bedescribed as one of many embodiments wherein the panel extendsthroughout at least 75 percent, and here about 75-80 percent, of theentire interior space (413 plus 417). From FIG. 21 it may be seen thatone way to secure panel 432 within perimeter frame 412 is to provide ascrew 436 through panel 432 into a hole in a tab between perimeter frametop parts 414 and 414′ for connection point Q, and to provide a set ofscrews and clips 438 and 438′ onto frame lower part 418 for connectionspoints R and S, respectively. Fasteners other than the set of screws andthe J-shaped clips 438, 438′ may be used to secure panel 432 withinperimeter frame 412, for example, U-shaped and other clips, rivets,clamps, ties, straps, and other conventional fasteners.

FIG. 22 depicts alternative embodiment 500, which has a differentinterior image 522 on panel 532. Panel 532 extends through thegenerally-triangular interior space 513 surrounded by and defined by theperimeter frame inner perimeter/surface 515, reaching to at or near theframe inner perimeter/inner surface 515 all the way around the frame.Note that there are no struts or interior-region compartmentalizingstructure inside this frame, so the panel 532 may extendacross/throughout the entire, or substantially the entire, interiorspace 513, for example, throughout 90-100 percent, or preferably 95-100percent, or most preferably 98-100 percent, of the interior space 513.

Certain embodiments may be described as a heavy-duty garment hangercomprising: an outer perimeter frame of generally triangular shape, saidperimeter frame having two smaller top parts and one larger bottom part,the two smaller top and one larger bottom parts being connected andsecured together to define a generally triangularly-shaped interiorspace within said perimeter frame; an upstanding hook connected andsecured to one or both of said two smaller top parts; a reinforcementinsert within said triangularly-shaped interior space, saidreinforcement insert being connected to said outer perimeter frame in astrengthening and supporting manner at three connection points, with twoof said three connections points being on the one larger bottom part, ortwo of said three connections points being on one each of the two topsmaller parts; wherein said reinforcement insert also comprising animage. The reinforcement insert may be a silhouette of an object image,for example. The object image may be approximately within the middlehalf of the horizontal width of said triangularly-shaped interior space,for example. Additional structure may be added to the hanger, forexample, depending downwardly from said one larger bottom part, and saidadditional structure may be adapted to receive and support garments.Said additional structure may comprise additional hooks, and/or a lowerrung depending downwardly from said larger bottom part. The object imagemay extend beyond the boundary of the outer perimeter frame in certainembodiments. A plurality of object images may be within the outerperimeter frame in certain embodiments. The reinforcement insert may bea flat panel adapted to receive object images in certain embodiments,and, for example, flat panel may be connected at one connection point toa tab connected to both smaller top parts, and in certain embodimentsfurther connected at two connections points to the larger bottom part.The flat panel may be transparent, translucent, or opaque. The objectimage may in the form of a sticker, printed on the flat panel, or otherdecoration, images or indicia. In certain embodiments, apertures may becut through the reinforcement insert/flat panel to form a silhouette,and the insert/flat panel may have an outer edge that is shaped to be anouter perimeter of the silhouette. In certain embodiments, the perimeterframe lies substantially in a frame plane and has an inner surface, andthe insert/flat panel is selected from a group consisting of: A) aninsert or flat panel that lies in a plane parallel to the frame planeand extends in, or generally in, that plane to within less than ½ inch(or within less than ¼ inch) of the inner surface all around theperimeter frame; and B) an insert or flat panel that lies in a planeparallel to the frame plane and has outer perimeter regions that touchthe inner surface at said connections points and also has outerperimeter regions that are distanced at least 1 inch (or at least 2inches, or at least 3 inches) from the inner surface. To illustrate theperimeter frame lying substantially in a frame plane and an insert orflat panel lying in a plane parallel to the frame plane, see the insertand frame in FIG. 7, and the flat panel and frame in FIGS. 16-19. Onemay see from these figures that the frame and insert and flat panel areall much wider and longer than thick, and so may be said to eachgenerally lie in a plane and to be parallel.

Although this disclosed technology has been described above withreference to particular means, materials and embodiments, it is to beunderstood that the disclosed technology is not limited to thesedisclosed particulars, but extends instead to all equivalents within thebroad scope of this disclosure, including text, drawings and claims.

1. A heavy-duty garment hanger comprising: an outer perimeter frame of generally triangular shape, said perimeter frame having two smaller top parts and one larger bottom part, the two smaller top and one larger bottom parts being connected and secured together to define a generally triangularly-shaped interior space within said perimeter frame; an upstanding hook connected and secured to one or both of said two smaller top parts; a reinforcement insert within said triangularly-shaped interior space, said reinforcement insert being connected to said outer perimeter frame in a strengthening and supporting manner at three connection points, with two of said three connections points being on the one larger bottom part, or two of said three connections points being on one each of the two top smaller parts; wherein said reinforcement insert also comprising an image.
 2. The garment hanger of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement insert is a silhouette of an object image.
 3. The garment hanger of claim 2, wherein the object image is approximately within the middle half of the horizontal width of said triangularly-shaped interior space.
 4. The garment hanger of claim 1, wherein additional structure depends downwardly from said one larger bottom part, and said additional structure is adapted to receive and support garments.
 5. The garment hanger of claim 4, wherein said additional structure comprises additional hooks.
 6. The garment hanger of claim 4, wherein said additional structure has a lower rung depending downwardly from said larger bottom part.
 7. The garment hanger of claim 1, wherein the object image extends beyond the boundary of the outer perimeter frame.
 8. The garment hanger of claim 1, wherein there is a plurality of object images within the outer perimeter frame.
 9. The garment hanger of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement insert is a flat panel adapted to receive object images.
 10. The garment hanger of claim 9, wherein the flat panel is connected at one connection point to a tab connected to both smaller top parts.
 11. The garment hanger of claim 10, wherein the flat panel is further connected at two connections points to the larger bottom part.
 12. The garment hanger of claim 9, wherein the flat panel is transparent.
 13. The garment hanger of claim 9, wherein the flat panel is translucent.
 14. The garment hanger of claim 9, wherein the flat panel is opaque.
 15. The garment hanger of claim 9, wherein the object image is in the form of a sticker.
 16. The garment hanger of claim 9, wherein the object image is printed on the flat panel.
 17. The garment hanger of claim 1, wherein the reinforcement insert comprises apertures cut through the reinforcement insert to form a silhouette.
 18. The garment hanger of claim 9, wherein the flat panel comprises apertures cut through the flat panel to form a silhouette.
 19. The garment hanger of claim 9, wherein the flat panel has an outer edge that is shaped to be an outer perimeter of the silhouette.
 20. The garment hanger of claim 9, wherein the perimeter frame lies substantially in a frame plane and has an inner surface, and the flat panel is selected from a group consisting of: a flat panel that lies in a plane parallel to the frame plane and extends to within less than ¼ inch of the inner surface all around the perimeter frame; and a flat panel that lies in a plane parallel to the frame plane and has outer perimeter regions that touch the inner surface at said connections points and has outer perimeter regions that are distanced at least 1 inch from the inner surface. 